


The Bet

by Daywriter106



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Avenger Loki (Marvel), Betrayal, Bets & Wagers, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Hurt, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:14:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26736427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daywriter106/pseuds/Daywriter106
Summary: Loki accepts a bet while at one of Tony Starks endless parties.It's a simple bet, actually harmless. Just get the woman to spend a few minutes with him and to accept something, anything, from him. Nothing more. She'll never know and even if she did find out, what harm could it cause her?
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	The Bet

Charlotte absolutely hated Tony Starks parties. She actually hated all parties but she hated his the most because she was required to show up. Show up, stay for a minimum of two agonizing hours or have her supervisor lay into her on Monday morning. In front of the entire section. So Charlotte showed up and suffered.

Just like she was doing right now. She wore her work ID badge, which was scanned as she entered the smaller ballroom as proof she had been there. She had made sure to show up the moment the doors opened. No guests were there yet but that was exactly why she was there, her time had started but she didn't have to face people. The first thing she did was walk over to the bartender.

He recognized her from every previous employee party so that by the time she arrived at the bar he had her one complimentary drink ready for her. A small glass of white wine. He scanned her ID with his usual friendly smile. "How are you this month?"

Charlotte sat at the bar stool and smiled back. Troy was a perfect bar tender. Easy on the eyes and friendly without being creepy. "I'm just as good as I was last month." She said the same thing every month. Because it was true. These never got easier for her.

There had been a time in her life when she had enjoyed going to parties and meeting new people however that had been what felt like a life time ago. Right now they made her uncomfortable enough that she had been working here at Stark Towers for three years and these monthly, forced parties were the only ones she had gone to. Ever. And if it weren't for Tony Stark having learned that some supervisors had been telling employees they weren't welcome at Stark parties, these forced parties would have never come about.

But in the cause of making sure everyone got to have fun, Charlotte was tormented for two hours every month. She couldn't even bring a book to read because the dimness, the flashing lights and the music gave her a headache. She knew because she had tried. Twice. So now she sat at the bar until it became too crowded and then she roamed around the edges of the room, always moving, trying to look as though she were searching for her group of friends that she had just so happened to have gotten separated from.

It was just thirty minutes in that the first odd occurrence happened. The room was filling with people who were finding tables and couches to claim for the evening while others were like Charlotte and wandering the room. Unlike her they were actually speaking to other people, paying attention to where they were going. She was walking, thinking that she would probably have enough time to finish her book but not enough time to start her next one when a man stepped right in front of her. She went to walk around him and he moved back in front of her and because of this her eyes snapped to his face.

He was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that she had seen on her floor before, he'd often had to come correct something in a report he had turned in weeks or months earlier. Because he had failed to respond to the first, second or third request, he ended up not remembering the answer to a simple question and needed to actually see his physical paperwork to jog his memory. He was generally despised for his laziness. Though because he was boyishly cute the other women refused to report him to his supervisors. Charlotte was dreading getting one of his reports because he would report him. He wasn't that cute.

He was giving her his signature smile right now. "You're, Cheryl, right?"

Charlotte frowned at him. "No, sorry." She moved to go around him and he once more moved to block her. 

"Oh, must be some other beautiful girl I'm thinking of."

Charlotte had been forced to stop and now she just stared at him. He seemed to be waiting for her to say something to his pick up line but Charlotte was sure he didn't want to hear any of the responses that were going through her mind so instead she asked, "Can I help you?" It was the same tone of voice she used when an agent stopped at her cubical.

His smile slipped, "Uh, I was wondering if I could get you a refill on your drink?" He held out a glass of something that wasn't white wine.

She glanced down at her nearly full glass. "No, thanks." And this time when she went around him he didn't stop her.

Still thinking about the agents odd behavior, she wasn't even sure if they had ever spoken before, she was startled when someone brushed the sleeve of her sweater. It was one of her nice sweaters, a peach colored one that she wore over a white pullover blouse. It went with her casual Friday black dress slacks which was good because it was what she wore pretty much every Friday.

She looked to see who was attached to the hand and saw another S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, one she only recognized because of the shared laundry machines on the floor they both had a studio apartment on. He had never spoken to her. Now he had one of the small appetizer plates in his hand that he was holding out to her. 

He gave her a small smile, "Hey there, I noticed you were drinking but you hadn't grabbed anything to eat yet. I thought I'd see if I could guess if I could pick out some of your favorites."

Charlotte's eyes went from the agent's eyes to the plate. She glanced at it again then looked back at him, "Actually you did." She gave him a tight smile. "However I ate before I came, thank you any way." She stepped past him and her eyes darted around the room.

She felt as though there were hundreds of eyes on her, all staring at her until she was looking in their direction. Then everyone would look away from her, acting natural. She felt anxiety rising in her chest, she wanted to look at her phone to see how much more time she had to remain but she refused to allow herself to give in. Tony stark always showed up an hour and a half into this nightmare and he wasn't here yet. Once he showed up she would escape to the bathroom for a few minutes then move closer and closer to the door.

She didn't know how it happened but she realized that she had finished her glass of wine when she went to take a sip and it was empty. Well, that gave her the excuse to head over to the bar, she could pretend she needed to give it back rather than just leave it somewhere. She had just handed it over and was about to turn away and resume her circle when someone bumped her.

"Oh, sorry, ma'am." The agent looked at her with distress, "I wasn't looking where I should have been." He had a soft southern accent that floated its way out of his voice.

Charlotte gave a tight smile. "It's okay, no harm done."

"Oh no, there's always harm when a ladies been jostled about. Please, let me buy you something to drink as an apology." He smiled. "Please?"

Charlotte looked at him, he had the ability to make soft puppy eyes, she was sure that woman rarely told him no. She smiled once more, "Thank you, that would be so sweet." His whole face lit up with a huge grin. "Maybe next time." She didn't miss the way his face fell and the look that came over his face was less puppy and more a dog that was getting ready to growl.

She stepped back in uneasy surprise and his hand reached out for her arm. Instead of grabbing her, his hand hit the chest of a man who had stepped in-between them on his way to the bar. That man stopped and stepped back, looking at the anger on the agents face and the surprise on Charlotte's face.

Steve Rogers ignored the agent who was wiggling fingers that had impacted Steve's chest and he looked at the woman. "Are you alright, ma'am?"

Charlotte quickly looked up at hearing another man speaking to her at an event where other than the one question from the bar tender, she never spoke to anyone. Not even co workers. Steve Rogers. He never had to make corrections to his reports, they were perfect the first time. Every time.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, sir." Charlotte turned and quickly moved away, the noise was enough that she didn't have to pretend not to have heard the Captain call after her. She hadn't heard anything.

Across the room a group of men were sitting and slouching on a couch, watching the scene with interest. When they saw Captain America get involved they held their breath until they saw Charlotte flee and then they all burst into cackling drunken laughter.

At that moment one of them saw someone walking by and called out, "Hey, Laufeyson!" When he saw the man turn his head and raise an eyebrow he waved the god over. "Come here. I know you're gonna wanna get in on this action."

Loki looked over the half dozen obviously inebriated agents with distaste. Dressed in a dark charcoal suit with a blindingly white shirt open at the collar he just wanted to leave and find something, anything that was more interesting than watching mortals become drunk. It wasn't entertaining on Asgard and on Midgard it was more like watching pigs swill fermented slop.

"Agent Pierce. What has captured your petty attention span?" He made no effort to hide his disdain for the man who was lazy.

Pierce pointed across the room where another agent was seen making his way over to their group, his anger clear in his body language. "See, we got a bet going on this steno from the eighteenth floor. Brooks here is the latest she just shot down." 

As Brooks joined the group and flopped on the couch he growled out, "Bitch!" His words were both loud and clear enough to turn near-by heads. Those who saw Loki with the men quickly lost interest and turned back.

There were combinations of laughter and commiseration but all simply made the man's face flush redder as his anger grew. "I don't see any of you guys doing any better!"

Loki felt his interest peak. "Where is this woman?"

There was low chuckling which Loki instantly recognized it for what it was. Men who had chosen someone, generally a female, that they determined was weaker than them and thus was unworthy of their protection. Under normal circumstances it would not have been acceptable to him yet these were not normal circumstances. There was no danger to the female in this crowded room, it appeared to be nothing more than drunken louts engaged in boorish behavior.

"There she is." One man rudely pointed and Loki followed his direction. "Fat girl in the pink sweater."

One of the men at least made an effort, "Come on, Stamps, she's not fat, just heavy."

Stamps waved dismissively. "If a girl ain't skinny she's fat." 

There was more chuckling and commentary which Loki ignored as he watched the female. She was obviously nervous. He was unaware what the men had done in their previous attempts to win the bet however it was obvious that it had spooked her. She was wary, on edge and looking for the next attempt. He also took in her physical appearance and mentally scoffed at the mortal's thoughts on beauty. Obviously the female wasn't one of the thin women that were so abundant here yet there was nothing about her that Loki found unacceptable. He would not be adverse to bedding her.

"What are the rules of the wager?"

Charlotte felt that she was not being paranoid. Since the rude southerner one more man had come up to her, more than slightly drunk and tried to start a conversation with her while trying to hand her a bottle of water, telling her she looked dehydrated. He had kept trying to shove the bottle in her hands, telling her she could just take it with her. She finally just shoved past him, the bottle falling to the floor and rolling away.

Tony Stark's arrival be damned, he had to be running late. She was leaving now and she was going right to her room, forget about trying to read. She would probably pull the covers over her head and be awake all night. Okay, probably not. She only had five more chapters so there was no way she wasn't finishing tonight but still, this was going to be stressing her out for awhile.

A loud voice caught her attention and nearly everyone else's as well. She recognized the man who was standing up, towering over those seated on the couch. Even in a dark suit and with his hair cut shorter everyone knew Loki Laufeyson, hopefully reformed supervillain and brother to Thor. The god said something to the shocked men on the couch and began walking away. Charlotte's attention was snapped back to a man on the couch. It was the rude southerner. And he was looking at her, or at least in her direction. Charlotte looked at the men sitting next to him and realized that nearly every single one had come up to her over the short time she had been at the party.

Now for certain she was leaving. What were the odds that all of these men were now together? Not likely. Something was going on and she didn't want to be a part of it any more. She turned to move through the crowd that had become slow moving for some reason. She tried turning sideways to slip through the bunched up people. It didn't work.

"Ms. Carson?" The voice was low in the roar of the party and yet it was clear in her ear.

Charlotte turned to see who had spoken so crisply in this crush and the crowd moved around him like water around a rock. Loki Laufeyson. And he was still walking towards her. He came to a stop about three feet away from her and gave a short bow while his green eyes stared down from his impressive height. 

Charlotte wasn't sure what to say. He had come from the group of agents and yet, he wasn't one. He was an Avenger. Wasn't he? She spoke with a low voice, her self confidence was fading under his gaze. "Yes?" She forced her chin to go up.

Loki didn't let the little mortals pathetic attempt at giving herself courage show that it amused him. Instead he let himself glance towards the agents on the couch with a frown that he knew was formidable then looked back at her while appearing to be trying to compose his features into something less stern. "Ms. Carson, I am Loki Laufeyson. I dislike bearing tidings of ill news however," He glanced at the crowd around them then leaned just slightly forward. "May we speak just off to the side here? Where I may confide without fear of someone overhearing my words?" He brought his hand up, pointing not to anywhere private but rather to an area that gave the imbeciles a clearer view of them.

Charlotte nodded then followed his direction but didn't get closer to him. It was only slightly less crowded here and Loki moved so that her back was to the agents. She felt slightly grateful, she didn't want to see their faces right now. "You said you wanted to tell me something."

"Yes." Loki lowered his voice and leaned down, bringing intimacy to his words. "Ms. Carson, I believe you are the victim of a rather thoughtless prank."

Charlotte felt her face begin to burn.

"You see, some," Loki appeared to be choosing his words carefully. "Men, thought to seek entertainment by a simple wager of getting a lady to accept something from their hands. And that is why you may have felt that you were being accosted by these various men as they made their attempts."

Charlotte watched as Loki seemed to be intently studying her face, looking for something. Probably if she was going to cry. Which she wasn't. She was not. Because she had had much worse things happen in her life and she hadn't cried so she was certainly not going to cry at this stupid thing. It was just a joke. Not even a big deal. She was certainly not about to be weak over something as simple as men being jerks.

Loki watched all the expressions cross the mortals face and felt like he was watching her history in a matter of a few seconds. It was stunning, really. He wondered what had brought all those emotions into her life. Then he dismissed the curiosity. He only needed her to do one thing.

"Thank you for telling me." Charlotte smiled and looked up into those eyes, they were looking at her so uncertainly now. As if they were willing to offer her whatever she needed, she only had to let him know what that was and he would give it to her. And that's what did it. The simple offer of being available to her. No one had been there for her in so long. No one offered her support so she had to be strong, all by herself.

Loki saw the instant the tears began to form in her eyes and kept the smug smile from his face, it was simple from this point forward. "Oh my dear, no. Don't allow those bullies to claim victory over you." His voice was smooth, comforting. "No, here." He reached into his suit pocket and retrieved a deep emerald green, silk handkerchief. He reached out as if to wipe her tears then pulled his hand back, "Your pardon, I wouldn't touch you without your permission, of course." He held the neatly folded square out to her. "My mother would never forgive me for allowing a lady to be in distress without offering some form of aid. Even if it is only a square of cloth." Loki felt a tug of guilt when using his mother to win this wager however when Charlotte accepted the cloth he felt nothing but smug satisfaction.

"Thank you." Charlotte patted at her eyes. She pulled in a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry. That hasn't happened to me in years." She gave a slightly watery laugh that she kept low, she didn't want anyone to see her like this.

"Shedding tears? I find that hard to believe. I was led to believe that Midgardian females engage in bouts of tears quite frequently." Loki told the truth, the agents that he found himself frequently working with made it clear that the females they knew could be found crying nearly daily.

Charlotte shook her head, "Not since I was a kid." She held up the handkerchief, "I'll launder this and return it to you."

Loki shook his head, "Keep it as a token to remind you of your rout over the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." He nodded his head in their direction. "They appear most unhappy."

Charlotte didn't look back over her shoulder. "I'll take your word for it, I have no desire to see them again." She looked around them and noticed that they in fact had gathered attention of their own. "I should be leaving." She looked up enough to meet Loki's eyes while giving a weak smile. "I always wait till after Mister Stark arrives but he must be late this evening."

Loki felt an odd tug in his chest that he ignored at her words of having a timed exit plan to what was supposed to be an enjoyable experience. He realized she must hate being here, and now she would hate it even more. He raised a hand, "no, don't go." He wasn't sure which of them was more surprised at his words though he was able to keep his off his face. Charlotte was not.

"What?" Charlotte frowned slightly.

"I mean, you shouldn't let them chase you off. Why don't you allow me to escort you on a stroll about the room. At least once. Please? It would mean a great deal to me to help snatch a victory from those bullies." Loki smiled gently, trying to convey he had his own reasons for hating bullies then spoke again. "My own childhood was not without it's share of them."

Charlotte found herself stepping forward at Loki's invitation, she followed his guidance when his arm motioned with a graceful gesture. Unlike before while walking by herself, there was no struggle to get through the crowd. People parted ahead of them just enough to allow them to walk side by side.

"I can't believe a Prince of Asgard was bullied." Charlotte leaned her head towards Loki to be heard over the noise of the party but didn't notice that the headache inducing music level seemed to have quieted as soon as Loki had begun speaking to her.

As for Loki, he kept the spell tightly around them that induced people to move away from them. And at least that rubbish that was claimed by mortals as music had been quieted. He could hear his mortal speak, he didn't know how anyone else was communicating and supposed that they weren't.

At her words he answered thoughtfully, he would be honest with her, he could at least give her that. "You would be surprised. There weren't very many children allowed in the circle of influence with my brother and I. Looking back I suppose it was thought we would all become a band of brothers. However I was the youngest and their interests were not mine." Loki shook his head at the memory and felt Charlotte's eyes on him. He gave her a faint smile, "Children are honest in their feelings when one of them is not the same. There were many hard lessons learned at their hands."

Charlotte could tell that he didn't want to reveal these memories but he did to make her feel better and again she fought against tearing up. She gave a jerky nod. "I know how you feel." From the corner of her eye she could see him turn his head to look at her so she continued. "I had step brothers and sisters. They really, well, they didn't appreciate this strange child showing up in their home along with a woman they didn't want." Charlotte looked up at Loki, his eyes were an intense green, the flashing party lights caught them and made it appear they were flashing too. "You're right, kids can be brutally honest."

Loki was uncertain what to say, this hadn't been part of his plan in winning this trivial wager. He had obviously won it, so why was he still here? He mentally shook himself. He needed to get away from this little mortal. He had been aware of the attention he had brought to her from the moment he had so obviously sought her out. Let her enjoy the fame that would come to her by being his interest, she would have a spark in her dull little cubical and a memory to hold. He smiled, even that was a bit much for him. Now he just needed to excuse himself.

Charlotte stopped when they had come close to the entrance and exit doors, it was past time to leave. She needed to leave, the attention was making her nervous and the thought of facing speculative looks on Monday was going to make this weekend miserable. Loki looked down at her with curiosity and she forced a smile.

"Thank you for being kind to me. You didn't have to be." Charlotte saw a flicker in his eyes, he probably wasn't used to people thanking him for something. After all, he was still considered a terrorist by most of the people in this room. Even by the same people he worked closest with. Charlotte reached out and placed just the tips of her fingers on his arm, keeping them lightly placed. "It means a lot to me."

Loki felt a twinge of guilt at her words, the guilt felt a great deal like a disappointed look from his mother would make him feel. By the gods, his mother would be furious with him. Loki smiled and placed his hand over hers then inclined his head slightly down into a bow, "The honor was mine. A woman should never have to endure a jest at her expense. No matter how harmless it's intended to be."

When he removed his hand from hers Charlotte used her hand to gesture towards the doors. "I'm going to leave now, I have other plans for tonight. But thank you again."

"Would you like me to request a cab for you? Or accompany you to the street and wait with you?" Leaving with her would make the winning of the wager even sweeter. He wouldn't return this night and let the fools speculate. He could collect his winnings at a later date.

Charlotte shook her head. "No, I have one of the studios in the residences. I just take the elevator." This time Charlotte gave him a real smile, he truly had made this evening the best she had ever had.

Loki's breath caught for just a moment. The smile she turned on him was like nothing a woman had ever given him. It was open and honest, there was nothing behind it. Nothing expected in exchange for it. Given freely with no price attached. He didn't know what to do in return when he realized that there was a woman who had given the same smiles to him. He didn't like that Frigga was suddenly in his thoughts so frequently this night.

Loki smiled brilliantly, "Then I will say good night to you here and wish you to have a wonderful rest of your eve." Somehow he was able to take her hand and bow over it while giving a chaste kiss to the back of her knuckles.

Charlotte felt her face flush a deep red. Oh this was going to be horrible come Monday morning. She nodded her head, "Good night, Loki. Have a good evening your self." She turned and walked away, realizing that the music got louder and the people seemed even more drunk and in her path. She was able to squeeze her way through and out the door, her ID scanning her badge and she was gone. Another Stark party finished for another month.

Loki watched her until she exited the room, making sure she didn't look back or return. When he was certain she was gone he slowly made his way back to the imbeciles still seated where he had left their sad mortal selves. They were dejected as they watched him arrogantly sit down and smugly grin at them.

"I believe your uncouth Midgardian saying is something similar to requesting you to pay up?" 

As the men handed over money that they already had waiting in hand, Loki gathered it and vanished it with a faint glow of green. More Midgardian paper to pile up.

Brooks had passed his money over with an ugly snarl on his face Now he spat out, "How about another bet, Laufeyson? Same girl. Just for you."

Loki felt a curl of unease tickle the back of his neck. He raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."


End file.
